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The selected official will be the inaugural president of the reinvented administrative review board for the remainder of his term.
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President to guide the AAT through its reform named
26 May 2023
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Acting Attorney-General Katy Gallagher has announced Victorian judge Justice Emilios Kyrou will lead the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) through its transformation as president.
Ms Gallagher said Mr Kyrou will oversee the AAT’s reform which involved being the inaugural president of the organisation that eventually replaced the AAT.
“As president, Justice Kyrou would lead the AAT through this important reform and would be the inaugural president of the new administrative review body, once established, for the remainder of the term of his appointment,” said Ms Gallagher.
“Justice Kyrou has been selected through a transparent and merit-based process.”
“His Honour has the experience and capacity to lead a trusted federal administrative review body in a fair, efficient, accessible and independent manner.”
His appointment comes after Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus announced at the end of last year the government will abolish the AAT and replace it with a body that would better serve the interest of the Australian community.
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“By appointing 85 former liberal MPs, former liberal staffers and other close liberal associates without any merit-based selection process – the former government fatally compromised the AAT, undermined its independence and eroded the quality and efficiency of its decision making,” said Mr Dreyfus.
“This was a disgraceful exhibition of cronyism by the Liberal party.”
At the time, Mr Dreyfus said the federal government was committed to delivering an accessible, sustainable and trusted AAT that was “user-focused, efficient, accessible, independent and fair,” which included the commitment of $63.4 million over two years and an additional 75 members.
Mr Kyrou will take over after Susan Kenny and Berna Collier, who filled the role as acting presidents after Fiona Meagher resigned in early December only eight months into her term when she came under pressure due to the AAT’s handling of staff grievances.
Ms Gallagher said Mr Kyrou’s term will run for five years with the appointment subject to approval from Governor-General David Hurley, and once approved he will be sworn in as a federal court judge on 8 June and commence as AAT president the following day.
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